Petunia plant named ‘USTUN51501’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘USTUN51501’, characterized by its outwardly spreading to trailing and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; small light purple-colored flowers with dark purple-colored venation and throat; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USTUN51501’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘USTUN51501’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall,Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create newfreely-branching and uniformly mounding Petunia plants with early andfreely flowering habit, unique attractive flowers and good gardenperformance.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on May 18, 2010 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of Petunia×hybrida‘Piccee White’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary seedling selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as codenumber P415-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newPetunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. on May 13, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by vegetative cuttings ina controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. since May 14,2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘USTUN51501’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘USTUN51501’ as a new and distinct Petuniaplant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading to trailing and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Small light purple-colored flowers with dark purple-colored        venation and throat.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Piccee White’. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inBonsall, Calif., plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plantsof ‘Piccee White’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous and mounding than        plants of ‘Piccee White’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Piccee White’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Piccee White’ have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif.,plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as        spreading as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of ‘USTUN47601’,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,521. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Petunia differedprimarily from plants of ‘USTUN47601’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous than plants of        ‘USTUN47601’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were not as freely flowering as        plants of ‘USTUN47601’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘USTUN47601’ differed in flower        color as plants of ‘USTUN47601’ had coral red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of‘USTUN34803’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,884. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of‘USTUN34803’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more mounding than plants of        ‘USTUN34803’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of        ‘USTUN34803’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘USTUN34803’ differed in flower        color as plants of ‘USTUN34803’ had red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical plant of ‘USTUN51501’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘USTUN51501’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the late autumn in 11.4-cmcontainers in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 38° C.,night temperatures ranged from 9° C. to 18° C. and light levels rangedfrom 7,000 to 10,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and werethree months old when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘USTUN51501’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Petunia×hybrida ‘Piccee White’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number P415-01, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 15 days            at temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days            at temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Outwardly spreading to trailing and            mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about nine            primary lateral branches with multiple secondary lateral            branches developing per plant; dense and bushy appearance;            pinching enhances development of lateral branches; vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 14.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 32 cm by 40 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 32 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Aspect: Initially upright            then falling outwardly. Texture: Pubescent; minute. Color:            Close to 146C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate before flowering; opposite after            flowers develop; simple.        -   Length.—About 4.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; glandular.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,            close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146A; venation, close to 147C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 147C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary salverform            flowers; flowers face mostly upward to outwardly; freely            flowering habit with about 13 to 16 flowers developing per            lateral branch and about 150 flowers developing per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long            flowering period, plants flower from early spring until            frost in the autumn, flowering continuous during this            period; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about            six weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three to four days;            flowers persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 196D.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.5 cm.        -   Throat diameter, distal.—About 9 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Tube diameter, proximal.—About 3.5 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals fused in a            single salverform whorl. Petal lobe length (from throat):            About 1.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.6 cm. Petal lobe            shape: Obovate. Petal lobe apex: Broadly acute. Petal lobe            margin: Entire. Petal lobe texture, upper surface: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Petal lobe texture, lower surface: Mostly            smooth with scattered pubescence along the veins. Throat            texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color:            When opening, upper surface: Close to 76C. When opening,            lower surface: Close to 85C to 85D. Fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 77C; venation, close to N77A; color            becoming closer to 84C with development. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 84C to 84D; venation, close to N77C.            Flower throat (inside): Close to 79C; venation, close to            N77A. Flower tube (outside): Towards the apex, close to 79D;            towards the base, close to 79B; venation, close to N77C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals fused in a            single star-shaped whorl. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About            3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Rounded to slightly acute.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent; minute. Color, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Color, lower surface: Close to 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Angle:            About 30° from the stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent; minute. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 1.5 cm. Filament color: Close to            196D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Oval. Anther            color: Close to 94C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 98D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style            color: Close to 92C to 92D. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma            color: Close to N187A. Ovary color: Close to 144C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed on plants of the new Petunia.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and have been observed to tolerate    rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘USTUN51501’ asillustrated and described.